The Content Reader

I found this book in the museum of Njal's Saga in Iceland. An interesting account on the Vikings presence in North America. The sub-title is " Runestone Keys to a Lost Empire " and it makes for exciting reading. The authors explore a possible 14th century visit to North America on behalf of the Norwegian king Magnus. He sent his son Haakon VI as leader of the expedition and Johnson and Westin investigate available manuscripts and rune stones to follow in their foot steps as far as possible. It is a fantastically, exciting journey they take us on. They start with an historical background on the situation in Scandinavia, Iceland and Greenland. As everywhere there were political turmoil and fight for power. The Norwegian had early ties with North America and the fur trade, but due to circumstances the trade had ceased. Now was the time to try to establish this lucrative business again. The authors base their book on earlier research but have made a lot of new research, i...

While cleaning my book cases in Mallorca, I found this book about the Middle Ages. It is always good to dust the books from time to time. I, at least, usually find an interesting book, I forgot I had. Since I have recently found myself in the Middle Ages, it seemed like an omen.  Being a book for secondary students, it was very easy to read, very pedagogic (it even explains very simple things that you think one would know in general), and very interesting. The book covers all areas of the society like; Monks and Missionaries, Byzantines, Arabs and Franks, Saxons and Vikings, England United - and Conquered, Norman and Plantagenet, The Sword and the Cross, Kings and Rebellious Lords, Village and Town, The Break-up of Feudal Society. It ends around the mid-15th century, just before Richard III times' which I studied lately. Here some 'tit-bits' of information that I found interesting. The Anglo-Saxons, or English, came from the continent of Europe which is today part of...

The Jelling stones in Denmark Having started on my TBR shelves with the Viking tale of Röde Orm (Red Serpent) I would like to linger a little bit in the time of the Vikings. They had their own written signs cold runor which were based on sound rather than alphabetical letters. They were engraved on stones. Thousands of these stones have been found where the Vikings lived and normally they are a memory stone of kings, queens, family or just a tale from their expeditions. They are not necessarily placed by a grave. Most of the stones are found in Sweden and date to the 11th century. The oldest stone though was found in Norway and is from the 4th century and might indicate that the runor was used before the Viking time. Harald's stone with the image of Christ Most stones are found in Sweden around the valley where Stockholm is now situated and in the south of Sweden. However, two of the most famous are situated in Denmark. They are called the Jelling stones (named so because...